Baozi Xishi's Struggle

Chapter 446: Small-scale delicacies should be prepared and eaten quietly

Li happened to come in and thought that some of the food in the kitchen was spoiled. She was quite nervous and wanted to check it, fearing that the food would spoil and be used incorrectly.

Shen Yu hurriedly explained the source of the smell, and Li finally felt relieved.

She shook her head and smiled, "No wonder Master Lu asked you to make it. This thing really can't be bought at the market."

“If you sell this here, people who don’t know will just think the tofu is spoiled.”

Shen Yu was also afraid that the smell would contaminate the food in the kitchen, so after thinking it over, he decided that he couldn't move the bamboo basket out at this time.

I had to put some more straw on the already tightly closed lid, and then put the cloth back on and wrapped it tightly again.

After covering the bamboo basket, she picked up the large palm-leaf fan, lifted the door curtain of the kitchen, and fanned the whole room vigorously. When she smelled that there was indeed no odor in the kitchen, she went to do other things.

It was not until the evening, after dinner, that Shen Yu removed the wheat straw and carried the two bamboo baskets with their lids to the yard.

Because he was afraid that the strong smell would contaminate the food in the kitchen, Shen Yu set up a table in the yard and lit an oil candle before opening the bamboo basket, intending to pickle the vegetables in the yard and put them into a jar.

As she was doing it, she felt like a thief. She only wanted to quickly seal the jars and hoped that the north wind would blow stronger tonight so that the smell would not drift to the neighbors and would dissipate quickly.

At this point, the tofu blocks are covered with white hair, and their original shape can no longer be seen.

Shen Yu carefully picked up the tofu cubes in the bamboo basket with bamboo chopsticks and put them all in a large bowl.

Pick it up and shake it to flatten the white hair on it, then take a small bowl of wine and pour it in, then shake it again.

When the tofu cubes are slightly moistened, sprinkle the prepared seasoning in. Continue shaking.

Because there was no chili pepper at the time, Shen Yu fried Sichuan peppercorns and peppercorns and ground them into powder, then mixed them with white sesame crumbs and an appropriate amount of salt.

After mixing, although it is not the authentic spicy flavor, it smells very fragrant.

After each piece of tofu was coated with seasoning and salt, Shen Yu picked them up one by one with bamboo chopsticks and placed them in two small oil- and water-free porcelain jars that had been prepared long ago.

After assembling, pour some white wine into the seal, then wrap the lid of the jar with a clean new cloth and press the seal firmly.

Fortunately, there was a slight north wind at this time. Although the yard was still filled with that smell after I finished, I believed that the smell would dissipate after one night.

After breakfast the next morning, Shen Yu packed a jar of pickled stinky tofu and a small bundle of pickled plums in a large bamboo basket and went to the county government office.

Although Shen Yu arrived quite early, Lu Lang already had guests there.

When Qi Xi heard the yamen runner report that Shen Yu was coming, he hurried over to the front yamen room to pick up Shen Yu.

He took the bamboo basket from Shen Yu's hand and told Shen Yu: "Because the young master will be returning to Beijing in the next two days, his classmates came to get together with him. Now several young masters are in the study."

Shen Yu stopped walking after hearing this and said with a smile: "Since Mr. Lu has guests, I won't go in and disturb him."

"Your young master doesn't know how to cook, so it would be better if I pour the food for you. You just need to remember it for him."

After making the stinky tofu last night, Shen Yu hurriedly wrote down how to eat it and how to cook braised pork with preserved vegetables.

At this time, she handed the written paper to Qi Xi and repeated it to him in detail.

He then pointed to the pickling date written on the small jar in the bamboo basket.

Qi Xi had cooked many dishes with Shen Yu, so her cooking skills had improved a lot. She understood what was being done the moment she heard it.

But he was playful by nature, and looking at the densely written paper, he couldn't help but say with a bitter face: "Stinky tofu is fine, you can just open the jar and mix it or fry it in oil and you can eat it."

"But the recipe for this pork with preserved vegetables is too complicated and tedious. I'm really afraid that if I make it bad, it would be a waste of a good thing."

Shen Yu knew that he really didn't like the trouble and that being afraid of making trouble was just an excuse.

I could only coax him and said, "Let me tell you, these two dishes are both southern dishes. If you can really cook them well and make the Madam happy and satisfied, I guarantee you will get a lot of benefits."

"Not only will your young master reward you, I'm sure the old lady will reward you as well."

"If it really doesn't work, you can give this recipe to your father and take it to the kitchen in your house to make it."

"I'm sure your kitchen has all the ingredients you need. Just remember to explain the cooking methods to your father."

Seeing that there were only Shen Yu and himself in the gatehouse at the moment, Qi Xi informed the yamen runners who had already known what was going on and gave up the gatehouse with the burning brazier and went to stand guard at the door.

He whispered to Shen Yu, "Miss, you don't know that the young master told me a few days ago that you can't tell anyone about taking the stinky tofu back."

"Or we can quietly prepare it here and send it to the Madam."

"Or, just hand it over to the Madam and let her find someone to do it quietly."

Shen Yu was quite surprised to hear this, and said in confusion: "Madam Tai is the hostess of the mansion and an elder, but she thinks the taste of this dish is not elegant and is afraid of being criticized by outsiders, so she doesn't eat stinky tofu."

"It's not a big deal to eat it once in a while, so why do people in the mansion have to avoid it?"

"Just don't tell anyone."

Qi Xi hesitated to speak, looking like he wanted to say something but didn't dare to.

Shen Yu looked at his expression and saw that it seemed like there was something else going on. He was suddenly startled and immediately came to his senses. He quickly waved his hand and said, "Forget it. I was abrupt. This is not something I should ask."

"It's better for you to know what happened in your house. I didn't hear anything."

"I only know that Mr. Lu ordered a jar of stinky tofu from my restaurant, but I don't know anything else."

"Okay, now the stinky tofu has been delivered, I should go back."

As he was about to say goodbye, he took two steps and was about to lift the door curtain to go out, but he stopped and said, "Give my regards to Mr. Lu and tell him that I hope he will pass the exam and win first place."

Qi Xi also realized that he had said something wrong, so he smiled awkwardly and pretended that he had never mentioned this matter. He just thanked Shen Yu.

He sent Shen Yu to the street, watched her get into the car, and then carried the bamboo basket back to the back hall.

At this time, Lu Lang knew that Shen Yu was coming, but several classmates were having a lively conversation in the study and could not leave.

He was thinking about how to get away quickly to meet Shen Yu, but he saw Qi Xi peeking at the study door.

Lu Lang stood up and went over, only to find out that Shen Yu had left after delivering the stinky tofu. He couldn't help feeling lost.

He stood outside the study in a daze for a while, then he pulled himself together and returned to the study to continue discussing the questions for next spring's exam with his classmates.

But it was obvious that he was a little absent-minded at this moment.